Pencarrow Interest In Belmont Stakes
06 June 2008
New Zealand's Pencarrow Stud will take particularly close interest in the performance of Casino Drive who will be looking to continue a fine family tradition in Sunday's Belmont Stakes run at Belmont Park in New York.
Casino Drive is undefeated in just two starts. He scored a 12-length debut triumph at Kyoto in Japan in February and then followed that up with a 5 3/4 length victory in the Group 2 Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park last month.
Casino Prince is a half-brother to the previous two winners of the 2400m Belmont Stakes, Jazil and Rags to Riches.
Pencarrow Stud, operated by Peter and Philip Vela, has amongst its broodmare band Silver And Roses who is a half-sister to the dam of Casino Drive.
Casino Drive is the second favourite for this year's Belmont Stakes which is the final leg of the famous Triple Crown series.
Casino Drive's jockey, Edgar Prado has ridden in eight Belmont Stakes, winning in 2002 with Sarava and in 2004 with Birdstone, ruining the respective Triple Crown bids of War Emblem and Smarty Jones. Sarava, who paid $142.50, remains the highest $2 win payoff in Belmont Stakes history.
If Prado wins the he will be tied with Braulio Baeza, Pat Day, Laffitt Pincay Jr., Gary Stevens and James Stout. Earle Sande and Bill Shoemaker won five Belmont Stakes, and the only two jockeys to win six Belmonts are James McLaughlin and Eddie Arcaro.
Casino Drive is undefeated in just two starts. He scored a 12-length debut triumph at Kyoto in Japan in February and then followed that up with a 5 3/4 length victory in the Group 2 Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park last month.
Casino Prince is a half-brother to the previous two winners of the 2400m Belmont Stakes, Jazil and Rags to Riches.
Pencarrow Stud, operated by Peter and Philip Vela, has amongst its broodmare band Silver And Roses who is a half-sister to the dam of Casino Drive.
Casino Drive is the second favourite for this year's Belmont Stakes which is the final leg of the famous Triple Crown series.
Casino Drive's jockey, Edgar Prado has ridden in eight Belmont Stakes, winning in 2002 with Sarava and in 2004 with Birdstone, ruining the respective Triple Crown bids of War Emblem and Smarty Jones. Sarava, who paid $142.50, remains the highest $2 win payoff in Belmont Stakes history.
If Prado wins the he will be tied with Braulio Baeza, Pat Day, Laffitt Pincay Jr., Gary Stevens and James Stout. Earle Sande and Bill Shoemaker won five Belmont Stakes, and the only two jockeys to win six Belmonts are James McLaughlin and Eddie Arcaro.